The ACWA Board of Directors, its officers and members would like to welcome you to the online home of the American Chuck Wagon Association, a 501.c.3 organization.
The American Chuck Wagon Association started out as a small group of Old West enthusiasts and has expanded to world wide association preserving the American past through competitions, demonstrations, charity and school events and other venues.
Our work is funded by sponsorships, tax-free donations, honorariums and memorials;
(We are a 501.c.3 organization);
cap sales in our General Store (go shopping); as well as membership dues.
For donations, honorariums and memorials, you may send a check or money order to:
ACWA, P.O. Box 626, Belton, TX 76513.
For Honorariums and Memorials, please include the name of the person remembered/honored, and an address for a thank you card.
ACWA knows our future lies in our youth and we support them by offering scholarships, helping with youth cook offs, demonstrations and other educational activities at cook offs, schools and other events. Check out the YOUTH page for more information.
For more information about youth cook offs, see our page. If your organization would like to request up to $150 and other ACWA supplies for a youth cook off, download the form and submit to
The American Chuck Wagon Association is always looking at ways to involve and educate our youth. Another way many involve the youth are through chuck wagon demonstrations. If you or your organization have hosted a chuck wagon demonstration, please send the information on your event along with any pictures to acwa@chuckwagon.org so we can post it onto our ACWA Facebook as well as feature your event in the next edition of the ACWA Monthly Update or ACWA quarterly newsletter, Under the Fly.
Currently ACWA has limited funding for these activities but through your generosity we want to expand our funding of scholarships, youth cook offs and other events! Please consider giving donation or memorial (specify on your gift YOUTH) so we can continue and even expand ACWA's involvement.
ACWA provides quality merchandise so check it out! Whether you are wanting to cook up some authentic chuck wagon meals or show off your support of ACWA through the purchase of a cap or apron...we have something for everyone! Click here to check out what we have!
Many of our members offer catering services. Check out the link above to contact one of them about bringing some of the finest chuck wagon cooking to your next event.
Dear ACWA Friends,
I hope everyone has had a wonderful April! Spring is upon us, and summer is right around the corner, so that
means alot of chuck wagon cooking. Please share pictures of the events that you cook at on our ACWA
Facebook page. Especially events you are reaching out to our youth.
We got some more ways you can reach out to new prospective members. We are getting 5,000 business cards
made that we will be mailed to each of your Board of Directors. The directors will get them to other chuck
wagon cooks so they can be given to people interested in ACWA that come to your wagon. They are a simple
business card with a QR code on the front and a free recipe on the back. Also do not forget to print out the
new brochures to also have in your chuck wagon. Remember the theme this year is Let us Promote ACWA!
I hope and pray you have a safe and memorable month of May. See you down the trail!
Vaya con Dios,
Justin Jackson
2022 ACWA President
In 1996 at a chuck wagon competition in Amarillo, Texas, a small group of Old West enthusiasts and wagon masters talked about an
association. The mission would be to preserve the heritage of the chuck wagon and its use in the short, but significant, era of the cattle
drives. In 1997, in Bryson, Texas, by-laws and articles of operation were adopted and the American Chuck Wagon Association was off and
running. Today there are members in 31 states, Canada, Germany and France.
Mission statement - Revised 2020
The mission statement of the American Chuck Wagon Association is:
To preserve the heritage of the Chuck Wagon.
This will be accomplished by the following Core Values:
Effective October 1, 2020 - ACWA Contact Info:
ACWA, P O Box 626, Belton, Texas 76513
Email: acwa@chuckwagon.org
Phone: 940-532-1788
Latest News............
The association installed the new 2022 ACWA executive officers at the annual meeting on Saturday, November 6, 2021. They are:
President: Justin Jackson, Howe, Oklahoma
Vice President: John Conway, Cambridge, Kansas
Secretary: Darryl Jacobs, Texarkana, Arkansas
Treasurer: Clint Combs, Las Vegas, Nevada
The new 2022 Committee Chairs are:
Audit Committee: Sam Wilson, Odessa Texas
Award Committee: Jack Ramey, Mustang, Oklahoma
Historical Committee: Ronnie Sexton, Temple, Texas
Nominating Committee: Todd Limke, Choctaw, Oklahoma
Scholarship, Education and Youth Cook Off: Brian Frankum, Axtell, Texas
January 1, 2022: Renewals for membership, newsletter and website ads are due.
According to the ACWA By-Laws any member/event/organization not renewing by
February 1 st will be dropped from the membership. Membership costs:
Individual: *$35 (annual) $500 (lifetime); Joint: *$50 (two members/two votes) and
Event/Organization: $100 (one vote).
*International member, an additional $5.00 is charged to cover
additional costs.
You may pay online by going to the Membership tab of this website OR by
printing off the 2022 ACWA Membership form and mailing your check or money order to: ACWA, P O Box 626,
Belton, Texas 76513. You do NOT need to complete a new membership form
UNLESS your contact information has changed, i.e., street address, email
address, etc.
Website Ad: Cost will remain the same as 2021 as $120/year; Newsletter Ad:
Cost will remain the same as 2021 as $100/year. You may pay for your ads online
by going to the Membership tab of this website and use PayPal to complete your
purchas, or you may mail your check or money order to: ACWA, P O
Box 626, Belton, Texas 76513.
Resources:
ACWA Trifold Brochure
Chuck Wagon Round Up Guidelines
Recommendations for a Chuck Wagon Event and COVID-19
Acquiring Liability Coverage for My Chuck Wagon Team -- Paul Geeslin